The Toronto Raptors had the very best common season in franchise historical past throughout the 2017-18 marketing campaign, however the ending was all too acquainted. For the third straight yr, the Cleveland Cavaliers bounced them out of the playoffs.

The newest sweep by the hands of the Cavs indicated to the Raptors entrance workplace that some adjustments had been wanted. They started shortly after the sequence ended with the firing of Dwane Casey, regardless of him being voted Coach of the 12 months by his friends. Whether or not that’s the final main transfer (together with the approaching rent of a brand new coach) or not this summer season is as much as president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri.

There have been many questioning if the Raptors would possibly think about making a serious roster transfer and look to deal one among their star gamers in both Demar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry. Ujiri joined ESPN’s protection of the NBA Draft Mix on Thursday to debate this summer season and look again on the sequence that ended their season. In that interview, Adrian Wojnarowski requested him if watching the Cavs battle within the first spherical and once more taking place Zero-2 to Boston made the Raptors sweep extra irritating.

Ujiri admitted it did, and in addition pointed to the disastrous collapse in Recreation 1 in opposition to Cleveland as completely altering the vibe across the group that they by no means shook for the rest of the sequence.

Ujiri: Sure, to me, it was disappointing for us. I’m a black and white man. That is the reality, it was disappointing. That’s the skinny line within the NBA. That’s the margin proper there, and that Recreation 1 loss damage us. It was very disappointing for us, and regardless of the trigger was, it took a flip and we couldn’t simply get it again.

Jay Bilas: Is there even a considered, if a type of shut in stick backs goes in in Recreation 1 you’re a completely completely different sequence and a unique response out of your group total?

Ujiri: No query. However I once more, because the chief of the group I’ve to have a look at the final 5 years and the place we’ve come. So the evaluation isn’t just 4 video games, truthfully. It’s the 5 years and the place we’ve come and the place does it go. So the loss is unlucky, however I’m not a response individual like that. I actually have to judge from that point to now and the long run as effectively.

It was pretty evident that the Recreation 1 loss had an hostile impact on Toronto’s mindset going ahead, however it’s fascinating to listen to it admitted as a lot by Ujiri. Whereas he notes a unique Recreation 1 consequence could have produced a unique sequence and consequence, he’s insistent that one recreation and one sequence wasn’t the rationale for the Raptors swift response in firing Casey.

Whereas that could be true and so they could have had considerations that underneath Casey this group had stalled out coming into that sequence, it’s exhausting to think about the best way they misplaced that sequence was a big consider all of it. Whomever takes over the Raptors job should maintain the identical degree of standard season of success whereas determining the right way to unlock the following degree within the postseason, and a part of that will likely be altering the mentality of a group that appears to get down on itself when issues go mistaken.